warhammer40kfandomcom-20200222-history
Eye of Terror Campaign
in his clawed grip, as the Forces of Chaos spill forth from the Eye of Terror]] The Eye of Terror Campaign (3rd Edition) was used by Games Workshop as the setting for their 2003 worldwide Warhammer 40,000 campaign. The campaign itself represented Abaddon the Despoiler's 13th Black Crusade against the Imperium of Man in 999.M41, which was focused primarily on the attempt by the united Forces of Chaos to break through the Cadian Gate. These events were ultimately retconned in the 2017 Gathering Storm sourcebooks for the 7th Edition of Warhammer 40,000 to produce a new outcome for the 13th Black Crusade that comported with the new background story that led to the birth of the Great Rift. The Concept In concept, the Eye of Terror campaign was created to be a monstrous strategy game with an unguessable number of players. By posting results from their tabletop games on the Eye of Terror website, players could make infinitesimal moves' on the Eye of Terror map, choosing where to make a difference in the overall picture. The big question was always whether the players themselves could organise their efforts in ways to make a difference to the overall map. In the Armageddon Worldwide Campaign the games played virtually cancelled each other out because there was no room for strategies. The campaign was fought at a tactical level and across the thousands of games played overall army balance meant that there was seldom more than a 10% swing in either direction. Interestingly the Imperial fleet was the real star of that campaign, consistently outperforming the Orks. So, the idea for Eye of Terror was to draw up a map and rules where tactical games allowed strategic moves. Because the individual moves would be tiny on such a vast scale (Whole worlds at war with millions fighting) it would mean that the overall strategy would be generated by the players' decisions en masse. To facilitate this Games Workshop created war rooms on the websites for the two sides' players to communicate and work on their strategies. They made up a set of event cards to distribute to individual players to allow them to make a difference in the fighting and create narrative ideas. Games Workshop also coordinated with the indefatigable GW Events and Retail Staff members so they could create an event packed with battles all over the globe. They met with clubs and talked about what was coming up in White Dwarf Magazine, at gaming conventions and on the net. They finalised the mechanics of the campaign for the website and then awaited the big day. Campaign Events Games Workshop felt it was important to introduce some pre-programmed events into the campaign which would give it a sense of unfolding drama and engage the players throughout its duration. These allowed them to sketch out a broad framework of themes for the course of the campaign in narrative terms. So, over eight weeks the campaign moved from a period of insurrections, raids and sabotage up to a devastating full-scale Chaos invasion, the commitment of Imperial reinforcements, intervention of the Eldar and on to a final, suitably apocalyptic showdown with warp storms cutting off access to all but the key strategic areas. In addition to the programmed events there were wild cards too. Some of these were dictated by the turn of events within the campaign. For example Games Workshop decided that the loss of Imperial control on certain worlds might ultimately lead to their destruction -- the Imperials invoking Exterminatus in order to stop the Chaos taint spreading further. Within this broader framework we then used the player event cards to flesh out individual acts of bravery or infamy, random chance and cruel fate. Execution Within the first day it was clear that this campaign was going to bigger than anticipated (many within Games Workshop guessed at Armageddon +50%. They were far off the mark). The initial inroads of Chaos were disappointing to say the least. Over the first week their efforts were rebuffed and in some sectors the forces of Order went over to the offensive, lightening their grip on a few out-of-the-way systems. Over the following pages you can find accounts of the course of the campaign in all the individual warzones. Many recall vividly the wails of dismay in the Disorder war room that first week. Secretly, creators of the campaign, such as Andy Chambers, blamed himself in some measure as he'd used the planet of Nemesis Tessera as an example of being easy to influence in several presentations. The hordes of Chaos duly showed up there and got smacked down in no uncertain terms. What Games Workshop had dreaded -- an easy victory for the more numerous players of the forces of Order -- was in the offing. By the second week there was a change in the wind. The Imperium continued to secure its control in some places but in the major sectors Chaos attacks were starting to take their toll. After the virtual stasis of the initial week the daily shifts were frightening to behold. Instead of concentrating their results in slugging matches with their Imperial opponents the Chaos players had begun to batter at worlds for a day and then move on, leaving their foes to pick up the pieces. Using just this tactic the forces of Disorder succeeded in capturing the prison planet of St. Josmane's Hope. An Imperial counter-attack developed but proved hopeless, the forces of Order had been caught flat-tooted and couldn't muster the strength they needed to make progress. On the internal Eye of Terror web group Games Workshop contemplated the situation. From a background perspective they felt the Imperium would sacrifice the planet rather than lose it to the forces of Disorder, it would also mark the victory of the Chaos players, so that come what may, they had made a milestone mark (unplanned as it was) in the narrative of the Eye of Terror campaign. So it was one Friday night that Games Workshop gave the order to destroy St. Josmane's Hope, a fictional world in a giant fictional game with no actual pieces. Factions It emerged that the players had got organised. The forces of Disorder had formed several factions advised by strategists from different think tanks, most notably the Triad and the Planet Killer group. Repeated efforts by the forces of Order to form a coherent strategy failed to get the same results. Until the last weeks of the campaign the forces of Order stayed one jump behind and unable to respond to the spreading tide of Disorder. To Games Workshop's delight the Tyranids and Orks each worked as discrete factions and hammered at their own chosen targets, Belis Corona and Scarus. A side effect of this was that the Tau were left to their own devices and expanded steadily through the whole campaign. Some within Games Workshop had believed that doing battle with the Tau would absorb more of the Ork and Tyranid players' attentions during a campaign mostly about the Imperium and Eldar against Chaos. Likewise, the Dark Eldar, Dark Angels and even individual Chaos legions worked together for common goals, often pursuing their own agenda in defiance of any overall plan. It was a joy to behold. All too quickly the end was in sight. With two weeks to go the forces of Order finally gained some cohesion and started fighting back more effectively. Whereas many of the Imperium's victories had been used to maintain their superiority on a sector and system level, they were getting murdered on the planets. With a united command structure they managed to pull back from the brink and stop the continual erosion of their positions they had suffered for weeks. At the last the combined efforts of the forces of Order kept Abaddon from his ultimate goal of controlling the Cadian System but, in the process, the Cadian Gate had been ravaged. Many bastions had fallen to the forces of Chaos and may never be recovered. The warp storms surrounding the Eye have expanded to engulf whole systems. The fighting on others could continue for decades to come. With the worlds captured the forces of Disorder are now positioned to launch attacks into more Imperial worlds. The Cadian Gate may not be open to the forces of Chaos, but their minions are over the walls in unprecedented numbers. The campaign has been massive in scale and a wonderful example of what can be achieved today. Less than a decade earlier, Jervis Johnson ran Ichar IV, Games Workshop's first mega-campaign which used results from across the globe to determine its results. The Eye of Terror set a new record for sheer "bigness" and, as with its predecessors, would form a cornerstone of the background of the Warhammer 40,000 universe in the years to come. For all those who have taken part and made it possible Games Workshop extended both heartfelt gratitude and congratulations on making something so truly gargantuan possible. A Campaign Codex for the 3rd Edition of the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game was released by Games Workshop, containing background information on the Eye of Terror and the events leading up to the 13th Black Crusade. Four new supplemental army lists were presented; the Space Wolves Thirteenth Company, the Cadian Shock Troops, the Lost and the Damned, and the Craftworld Ulthwé Strike Force. The Codex also marked the first appearance of Ursarkar E. Creed as a playable special character. Outcome The campaign ran for eight weeks, in which more than 40,000 players registered to submit over a quarter of a million games results to the campaign website. The conclusion of the campaign resulted in a minor victory for Chaos. The line was held in many places but on the strategic level the Disorder players were considered to have consistently out-fought and out-maneuvered their opponents, and held over half of Cadia itself. The Forces of Chaos made slow but somewhat steady progress on many fronts, yet could not claim a decisive victory, especially when a "backstage" plan to gain a foothold in the Eldar Webway system turned into a complete and total failure. In addition, Abaddon suffered severe losses to his fleet in the Crusade, which allowed the forces of Order to bottle up the Chaos forces on Cadia itself, preventing them from launching a full invasion of the Imperium. The campaign was hard-fought and senior Games Workshop executives have commented that the events of the campaign will provide a foundation for the rich background lore of the Warhammer 40,000 universe for years to come. Forces of Order Senior Command *'Ursarkar E. Creed' - Lord Castellan of Cadia and overall Imperial Commander of the defence of Cadia. *'Logan Grimnar' - Great Wolf (Chapter Master) of the Space Wolves Chapter and overall commander of the Adeptus Astartes forces in the Cadian System. A council of representatives from those Chapters of the Space Marines opposing Abaddon's 13th Black Crusade elected the irascible Great Wolf as their nominal head. *'Admiral Quarren' - Commander of Battlefleet Cadia and overall commander of Imperial Navy forces, Admiral Quarren has been hailed a true hero of the Imperium, for his masterful defence of the space lanes was all that stood between survival, and utter defeat for the Imperium. Though Cadia is besieged, the Imperial Navy commands space, and is able to offer support to beleaguered forces on the ground. The only question is whether the rapid redeployment of almost the entirety of Battlefleet Gothic, along with a substantial proportion of Battlefleet Solar will leave the Navy dangerously overstretched elsewhere and unable to maintain the level of operations required to hold the line at the Cadian Gate. Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes *'Angels of Absolution' - 10 Companies *'Angels of Vigilance' - 5 Companies *'Angels Sanguine' - 7 Companies *'Blood Angels' - 4 Companies *'Brazen Claws' - 10 Companies *'Dark Angels' - 10 Companies *'Death Spectres' - 6 Companies *'Doom Eagles' - 5 Companies *'Excoriators' - 8 Companies *'Exorcists' - 10 Companies *'Harbingers' - 8 Companies *'Howling Griffons' - 8 Companies *'Imperial Fists' - 5 Companies *'Iron Hands' - 10 Clans *'Iron Knights' - 1 Company *'Iron Snakes' - 5 Companies *'Marines Exemplar' - 9 Companies *'Night Watch' - 11 Companies *'Novamarines' - 6 Companies *'Relictors' - Declared Excommunicate Traitoris by the Inquisition during the 13th Black Crusade *'Revilers' *'Space Wolves' - 12 Great Companies *'Storm Warriors' - 10 Companies *'Subjugators' - 3 Companies *'Ultramarines' - 1 Honour Company *'White Consuls' - 10 Companies *'White Scars' - 10 Companies Companies *'Space Wolves 13th Company' Adepta Sororitas Orders Majoris *'Order of the Bloody Rose' - 6 Preceptories *'Order of the Ebon Chalice' - 4 Preceptories *'Order of Our Martyred Lady' - 5 Preceptories Orders Minoris *'Order of the Divine Lamentation' *'Order of the Ermine Mantle' - 3 Missions *'Order of the Maurdlin Countenance' *'Order of the Silver Lily' *'Order of the Sublime Adoration' *'Order of the Wounded Heart' - 1 Commandery Imperial Guard Notable Regiments *'Agripinaa Home Guard' *'Avellorn Field Regiments' *'Avellornian Gunners' - 32 Squadrons *'Bar-El Penal Legions' - 4 Legions *'Blitzen Heavy Armoured' *'Cadian Shock Troops' - 612 Regiments *'Cadian Youth Army' - 36 Regional Commands *'Cadian Kasrkin' - 486 Companies *'Catachan Jungle Fighters' *'Cthonian Armoured Cavalry' *'Death Korps of Krieg' *'Drookian Fenguard' -16 Companies *'Finreht Highlanders' - 3 Regiments *'Gudrunite Rifles' - 47 Regiments *'Jouran Dragoons' - 7 Regiments *'Kellersburg Irregulars' - 3 Regiments *'Knovian Gharkas' - 14 Regiments *'Mordian Iron Guard' *'Necromundan 8th, "The Spiders"' - 1 Regiment *'Narmenian Tank Brigades' *'Narsine Yeomanry' - 32 Battle Groups *'Praetorian Guard' *'Thracian Guard' - 35 Regiments *'Valhallan Ice Warriors' *'Van De'Man's World, "Redbacks"' - 5 Regiments *'Zenonian Free Companies' - 9 Companies Individual Regiments *'Abyssian IX' *'Agrapinaa 67th Armoured Rifles' *'17th Alasia Prime Mobile Infantry' *'4th Alba Highland Militia' *'Aldarriss 1st' *'Alderia Royal Guards' *'Alloran 5th' *'101st Amalgamated Regiment' *'Amaquan 1st' *'Ambrosian 35th' *'Arborean Prime' *'Arcturan 23rd Regiment' *'2nd Ardelan Rangers' *'Arkaddian XXIV Irregulars' *'Armageddon Steel Legion 37th' *'Armageddon Steel Legion 23rd' *'Arxan 4th Rifles' *'Asarkin Mobile Infantry' *'Attredan 5th' *'5th Augusta' *'XIII Aurech Irregulars' *'Aurellian XIV' *'Azin 2nd' *'9th Balakovo Guards' *'Bakka Sector Task Force' *'Bakkan Battlegroup Hydrax' *'Baraduun Keep' *'Barbarossan 125th Infantry Regiment' *'Battlegroup Deitweiler' *'Battlegroup Gael' *'Battlegroup Imperatis' *'Battlegroup Maxima' *'Battlegroup Nemesis' *'Battlegroup Primus' *'Battlegroup Tempest' *'Bavarian 6th Army' *'Bethus 28th Light Expeditionary Force' *'Bifrost 121st Regiment' *'17th Bolshev Guard' *'XLVII Boroeal Regiment' *'79th Britan Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment' *'122nd Bushrats' *'Cadian 734th' *'Cadian 556th' *'Cadian 477th' *'Cadian 379th' *'Cadian 377th' *'Cadian 366th' *'Cadian 223rd' *'Cadian 204th' *'Cadian 173rd' *'Cadian 148th' *'Cadian 135th' *'Cadian 131st' *'Cadian 123rd' *'Cadian 122nd' *'Cadian 121st' *'Cadian 107th' *'Cadian 102nd' *'Cadian 107th' *'Cadian 95th' *'Cadian 75th' *'Cadian 69th' *'Cadian 52nd' *'Cadian 47th' *'Cadian 45th' *'Cadian 42nd' *'Cadian 39th' *'Cadian 33rd' *'Cadian 32nd' *'Cadian 27th' *'Cadian 23rd' *'Cadian 22nd' *'Cadian 20th' *'Cadian 14th' *'Cadian 13th' *'Cadian 12th' *'Cadian 10th' *'Cadian 9th' *'Cadian 8th' *'Cadian 7th' *'Cadian 4th' *'Cadian 3rd' *'Cadian 120th Armoured' *'Cadian 9th Armoured' *'Cadian 4th Old Guard' *'Calax Vlll Regiment' *'Calexian 7th' *'Calmonian 198th' *'Cambreadth 7th' *'Camden 223rd' *'Canteral V' *'Caracan 132nd Armoured' *'4th Carillian Armoured Infantry' *'Carolon Guards' *'Carothian 313th Regiment' *'Carthago 3rd' *'Castellans 12th' *'Catachan DI (501st)' *'Catachan CCCXXIX (329th)' *'Catachan CCCXXIII (323rd)' *'Catachan CLXXXI (181st)' *'Catachan CXII (112th)' *'Catachan XXXVII (37th)' *'Catachan XXXII (32nd)' *'Catachan XXII (22nd)' *'Catachan XVII (17th)' *'Catachan XV (15th)' *'Catachan XII (12th)' *'Charon 492nd Mechanised' *'39th Chelsean' *'Chudian 1st Armoured' *'Cimmerian 6th Regiment' *'Coban III' *'Comagran 1st' *'1st Combine Replenishment Battlaion' *'Corican 101st' *'Corthasian Expeditionary Force' *'Corvus 23rd' *'Crinan Ivth' *'Dalarian 3rd' *'35th Daltigoth Irregulars' *'Danko's 114th' *'Darien 54th Volunteer Infantry' *'Darilian XVII' *'Death Korps of Krieg 88th' *'Death Korps of Krieg 27th Grenadier Guard' *'Death Korps of Krieg 23rd' *'Dernhelm 9th' *'153rd Desert Devils' *'XII Diddiane Dragoons' *'Dogs of KaBahh' *'9th Dominicus' *'Drepanan 212th' *'122nd Drookian Fenguard' *'Dterian 125th Regiment' *'Durellian 4th' *'97th Eisen Irregulars' *'156th Elysian Drop Troops' *'158th Elysian Drop Troops' *'101st Elysian Drop Troops' *'41st Elysian Drop Troops, "Angel Guard"' *'16th Elysian Drop Troops' *'Epsilonian Guard' *'Erawan Freelancers' *'Erland 22nd Motorized' *'Falterravan Armoured' *'584th Firestarters' *'Fists of Chonlhan' *'XXI Flotte Coloniale' *'Forax 206th Binary Mobile Intantry' *'Framlingham Rifles' *'Frumunda 23rd Armoured Infantry' *'13th Garlatan Drop Legion' *'Garnthe 7th Armoured Cavalry Regiment' *'Glavian Skirmishers 17th' *'14th Gleastonian Rifles' *'Golokov 3rd Armoured Cavalry' *'Gracian 1st' *'19th Grey Lancers' *'4th Grey Phantoms' *'Grinnuth 27th' *'Guardia 4th' *'43rd Gudrunite Rifles' *'Hadley's Hope XI Rifle Regiment' *'137th Hadris Rift' *'43rd/65th Heidrun' *'425th Heliothrix Combine' *'1st Heronian Battle Group' *'XII Holding Regiment' *'Hussaria 41st Armoured' *'Hyperion Guard' *'6th Hyrkan Regiment' *'Iberian 1st' *'Iionian 9th Dragoons' *'Ionis XXII' *'12th Imbrium Dragoons' *'Iron Tower Regiment' *'Irridian XIV Ironlords' *'Ishan 5th' *'Istanian 3rd Infantry' *'Ivlordian 16th' *'Janus 1st' *'Janus Xll Garrison Force' *'Jarhardy Shock' *'Jopall Indentured 114th Rifles' *'Jopall Indentured 17th' *'Jyhaddic 9th' *'Kalevala 15th' *'Kandorian 8192nd Light Infantry' *'Karis 12th' *'Katakurika First' *'Kaylen Lancers' *'Keldian Light Infantry' *'Keltaxan 113th' *'Khorporovka 3rd Crusade Army' *'Khumium Militia' *'Khymer 14th' *'Kiridian 5th' *'Knovian Gharkas 14th Company' *'Kortoth' *'Kreigars 3rd' *'Kruegers Reapers' *'51st Kynskite Dragoons' *'Kyshakkian 21st Penal Legion' *'32nd Lanthan Drop Troops' *'14th Lieran Rifles' *'282nd Light Colonial Guard' *'93rd Lost Hope' *'31st Lucian' *'Lunari 23rd Orbital Strike Group' *'Macharian 24th' *'Madeus 3rd' *'14th Mandalay' *'1st Maninninan Rangers' *'Mercutian 141st Armoured' *'12th Methuselan Infantry (Mechanised)' *'3rd Mirra Nomads' *'Miskolc Prime City Rats' *'Mistian 213th Para-Troops' *'1st Molovian Guard' *'303rd Mordant Acid-Dogs' *'667th Mordian' *'113th Mordian' *'23rd Mordian' *'10th Mordian' *'7th Mordian' *'Morloc 404th' *'Mortimer IV' *'Mulsarian VII Army' *'13th Munisipice Fusiliers' *'Mycenean 1st Off-World' *'42nd Mykran Rifles' *'Nebian 3rd' *'Necromunda 8th Infantry' *'New Crobuzon Militia' *'New Phraxian 42nd' *'Nimbus 2nd' *'Noctus 4th' *'Nomulan Wolves' *'Octavis 3rd' *'Orthos XIIth' *'194. Parsus III' *'Patrian 121st Light Infantry' *'Patrol Group Aquila' *'Peraxxian 101st "Dawn Breakers"' *'Pheonix 49th' *'13th Pinolus V Task Force' *'XVI Phobos ' *'Phrygian 32nd' *'Phyrgian III' *'23rd Phyruss Rifles' *'Phyruss 81st Regiment' *'Phyrussian 10th' *'Polaron Delence Force' *'Polisian 43rd' *'303rd Praetorian' *'35th Praetorian' *'13th Praetorian' *'5th Praetorian' *'Pyotorgors 292nd Arctic Rifles' *'Rantaran 6' *'Rardonian 104th' *'Razacks Roughnecks' *'Reconnaissance Regiment' *'73rd Rescue Fleet' *'1st Rigan Rifles (Mechanised)' *'Rimini 54th' *'12th Ritzos' *'Royal Hernovan Grenadiers' *'Royal Volpone 50th "Bluebloods"' *'Royal Volpone 23rd' *'Rygarian 8th Army' *'Saharrian XLV' *'Seced 13th' *'1st Sempernox' *'Serennian Irregulars' *'Sidoneon 95th' *'Silar VII Sentinel Company' *'25th Skarran Guard' *'Solus 13th' *'21st Sonnen Guard' *'Sons of Mjolnir' *'Soran 8th Regiment' *'Sphynxium Diamonds' *'Strike Force Antares' *'Strike Force Crimson' *'Strike Force Belarius' *'13th Studka Rifles' *'352nd Sturm Pioneers' *'Supremacy Force Marchon' *'Talasan 1st' *'Tallarn Desert Raiders 506th' *'Tanner IV 26th Regiment' *'Tantris 1st' *'Tarentum XXVII' *'Task Force Perdius' *'Task Force Damocles' *'Telluride 39th Armoured Battle Group' *'1st Terratus Strike Regiment' *'Teryaskian Red Guard' *'The Raiders of Ar Rustaq' *'290th Thracian' *'1st Thunderers' *'Torlean Armoured Guards' *'Tralian 4th' *'Tturas 18th "Orphans"' *'122nd Tuigan Marksmen' *'Turian 264th Regulars' *'Ulantii XIV' *'Uriah 501st' *'1st Uthman' *'Utican IV Desert Foxes' *'48th Valdian Rifles' *'451st Valhalla' *'301st Valhalla' *'7th Valhalla' *'5th Valhalla' *'Vandeen Guard 9th' *'Vandorian 23rd' *'Vannheim 8th' *'Vanth Defence Legion' *'Varseen 71st Enclave Heavy Drop-Legion' *'Vastadt 71st' *'Vastadtian 32nd' *'Vednikan 47th Rifles' *'Victarian XXXI Tank Regiment' *'Vitrian 43rd' *'Vittorrian XVII' *'Vittrian Dragoons' *'Volcanica 1st' *'187th Wahation Guard' *'Weylond 71st Fusiliers' *'181st Wolfpack' *'5th Yamin' *'Yontisgrod Volunteers' *'Zantinian 3rd Infantry Regiment' Ordo Malleus *'Inquisitorial Task Forces' - CLASSIFIED *'Grey Knights' - CLASSIFIED *'Inquisitorial Storm Troopers' **'Nemesis Tesera' - estimated 38 Companies **'Ocularis Terribus War Zone' - CLASSIFIED Departmento Munitorum *'Engineer Corps' - 18 *'Siege Auxilia Corps' - 28 Counter-siege batteries Officio Assassinorum *'Agents' - CLASSIFIED Templars Psykologis *'Disruption Squads' - 37 *'Augur Teams' - 6 Imperial Navy Battlefleets *'Battlefleet Cadia' - 12 Battleships, 12 Cruiser Squadrons, 21 Escort Squadrons *'Battlefleet Corona' - 7 Battleships, 13 Cruiser Squadrons, 17 Escort Squadrons *'Battlefleet Gothic' *'Battlefleet Scarus' - 5 Battleships, 9 Cruiser Squadrons, 13 Escort Squadrons *'Battlefleet Solar' *'Battlegroup Nemesis' *'Battle Group Imperatis' *'Bakka Sector Task Force' Vessels of Note *''Galathamor'' (''Emperor''-class Battleship) - Admiral Quarren's flagship. *''Honour & Duty'' (''Emperor''-class Battleship) *''Duke Lurstophan'' (''Dauntless''-class Light Cruiser) *''Abridal's Glory'' (''Gothic''-class Cruiser) Estimated Fleet Assets *'Front Line Battle Groups' - 21 *'Rear Echelon Battle Groups' - 36 *'Independent Strike Groups' - 4 *'Space Marine Battle-Barges' - estimated 21+ *'Space Marine Strike Cruisers' - estimated 150+ *'Space Marine Escort Squadrons' - estimated 200+ Adeptus Mechanicus Collegia Titanica *'Legio Astorum' - Entire Legion *'Legio Gryphonicus' - Entire Legion *'Legio Ignatum' - Entire Legion *'Legio Metalica' - Demi-Legion *'Ordo Reductor' - Demi-Legion *'Divisio Telepathica Psi-Titans' - CLASSIFIED Knights *'House Arokon' - 4 Households of Knights *'House Krast' - 2 Households of Knights *'House Lakar' Other Mechanicus Assets *'Centurio Ordinatus' - 4 Ordinatus *'Skitarii' - 87 Regiments Forces of Disorder Senior Command *'Abaddon the Despoiler' - Warmaster of Chaos and overall commander of the Forces of Chaos *'Typhus' - Herald of Nurgle, and Plague Fleet commander. *'Kossolax the Foresworn' - Chaos Lord of the Foresworn Renegade Chaos Space Marines warband and fleet commander. Chaos Space Marine Legions *'Alpha Legion' - 20+ unconfirmed sightings in all sectors *'Black Legion' - Major presence in all sectors *'Death Guard' - Major presence in Subiaco Diablo *'Emperor's Children' - Unconfirmed actions against Eldar reported *'Iron Warriors' - Suspected presence in the Cadian System *'Night Lords' - Unconfirmed reports of presence in all sectors *'Thousand Sons' - Active in the Caliban and Prospero Sectors *'Word Bearers' - Active in rear echelon sectors *'World Eaters' - Significant involvement in all sectors Renegade Chaos Space Marine Warbands *'Extinction Angels' *'The Pyre' *'Sons of Malice' *'Violators' - 3 confirmed actions in Cadia Sector *'Warp Ghosts' - Unconfirmed sighting in Agripinaa System Major Traitor Guard Units *'5th Columnus' - Presence confirmed - Belis Corona *'666th Regiment of Foot' - Confirmed presence - Cadia *'Discilan Apostates' - Unconfirmed *'Haradni 13th' *'Jenen Ironclads' - Major presence - Kromat System *'Sentrek Freemen' *'The Traitor 9th' - Significant presence - Kantrael System *'Ubridius Light Infantry' - Major presence - Cadian Sector *'Volscani Cataphracts' - Active - Cadia Estimated Mutant Hordes *'The Anointed of Aq'si' - 6 attacks confirmed - Belisar System *'The Shyis'slaa' - Linked to cult uprisings - Albitern System *'The Stigmatus Convenant' - Significant presence - Mackan System *'The Unsanctified' - Unconfirmed involvement - Bar-el System Traitor Titan Legions *'Death Stalkers' - Unconfirmed involvement on Cadia *'Fire Masters' - Limited presence in Cadian Sector *'Iron Skulls' - Major force sighted on Vorga Torq *'Legio Mortis' - Major presence confirmed on Cadia *'Legio Vulcanum I' - 4 unconfirmed assaults on Belisar and Kromat *'Legio Vulcanum II' - Suspected presence on Subiaco Diablo Chaos Fleet Battlefleets *'The Grand Fleet of Abaddon the Despoiler' - 7 Battleships, 13 Heavy Cruisers, est. 23 Cruiser Squadrons, est. 30 Escort Squadrons *'The Grand Fleet of Kossolax the Foresworn' - 1 Battleship, 3 Cruiser Squadrons, 8 Escort Squadrons *'The Plague Fleet of Typhus' - Terminus Est, 2 Battleships, 3 Heavy Cruisers, 5 Cruiser Squadrons, est. 12 Escort Squadrons Notable Vessels *''Plagueclaw'' (Unknown Class Capital Vessel) *''Darkblood'' (''Styx''-class Heavy Cruiser) *''Planet Killer'' (Undesignated Class Capital Vessel) *''Merciless Death'' (''Despoiler''-class Battleship) *''Fortress of Agony'' (''Despoiler''-class Battleship) *''Terminus Est'' (Despoiler-class Battleship) Fleet Assets *'Battlefleets' - est. 38 *'Blackstone Fortresses' - 2 *'"Wolf Pack" Squadrons' - est. 19 Other Forces *'Orks' *'Tau Empire' *'Tyranids' Major Characters Abaddon the Despoiler Though Abaddon's final goal of smashing through the Cadian Gate was ultimately unsuccessful, the advances made by his forces have gained him much more than was initially imagined. His retinue of Chosen, led by Devram Korda, the Tyrant of Sarora, returned to his side in the closing days of the war, bringing with him two individuals who had journeyed to the centre of the Eye of Terror. Together with the sorcerer Ygethmor the Deceiver, they presented Abaddon with the Heart of Chaos, a power that Zaraphiston, sorcerer of the Despoiler, had long claimed could not exist. It is known that Ygethmor now stands at Abaddon's right hand, while the tale of Zaraphiston remains a mystery. Ahriman Ahriman himself ripped open the walls of the Webway with information torn from the mind of Inquisitor Czevak. His plan to breach the fastness of the Black Library came dangerously close to fruition, but the combined forces of the mysterious Harlequins and the Ulthwé Strike Force held him from its gates. In a daring move, the Harlequinade of the Red Masque freed Inquisitor Czevak, though what they have since done with him is, at present, unknown: it is believed by Imperial Astropaths that he may be incarcerated by the Eldar within the Webway. Though his ultimate goal was thwarted, Ahriman's star has since risen in its ascendancy with his Daemonic Primarch, so perhaps some other, unguessable objective was achieved that remains to come to light. Ursarkar E. Creed No man, no Space Marine, fought harder to save Cadia. Although each Castellum levelled cut him deep, the faith of Ursarkar Creed was unshakeable. His victories could not easily be counted but the numbers of the Arch-enemy did not lessen whereas each defeat drained his strength. Creed was forced first to give ground to preserve his forces and then to abandon his favoured mobile defensive tactics in favour of defending fortified lines. His friend, Jarran Kell, was wounded defending him from yet another Chaos Champion eager to make a name and Creed was fatigued to the point of collapse when finally the momentum of the Chaos forces ran out. Cadia stood, but only just. The greatest fortress-world of the Imperium had been reduced to a blasted husk. It may have been a time of despair, but Creed sent out a message that was eventually relayed to every Cadian regiment wherever it was: "Soldiers. I speak to you to tell you to keep faith with the God-Emperor. We have a sacred duty greater than any of us. We are Cadians, we bar the gate to hell; if it is breached, we will seal it. Wherever you are, recruit. Recruit and train. Seek out pious men and bring them under your colours. While the Shock Troops march toward Cadia hope remains. Know that we will never cease to fight while our world lies desecrated and burned. March on my soldiers, march on, till we are together again, tomorrow, on Cadia." Maugan Ra The immortal Phoenix Lord Maugan Ra took a vital role in deciding the fate of the Eldar over the course of the Thirteenth Black Crusade. Responsible for the creation of the Ulthwé Strike Forces, Maughan Ra and the elite Black Guardians fought across every sector by cunning use of the Webway. He ultimately led the Eldar to victory even in the heart of the Eye of Terror and, after repelling Dark Eldar raids on Xersia, fought alongside Creed against Abaddon's the Basilica Dufaux. It is believed by many Farseers that the reappearance of the shadowy Craftworld of Altansar and its ghost-like inhabitants was purely due to the iron determination of the Phoenix Lord to locate and redeem his once-lost brethren. Logan Grimnar A council of representatives from those chapters opposing Abaddon's Thirteenth Black Crusade elected the irascible Great Wolf of the Space Wolves Chapter as their nominal lead. His leadership in the campaign proved a decisive factor in many engagements, and he even ordered a Great Company under his command to stand beside a company of Dark Angels at Kasr Sonnen. The two forces putting aside their deep, mutual resentment to rout a force many times their own size. The incident proved that the two forces united presented a force many times more powerful than the sum of its parts, yet few believe the two chapters will be able to put aside their differences for good. Typhus Striding through the blackened ruins of the ravaged worlds of the Imperium, crushing the bones of the slain beneath his Terminator Armour and spreading the vilest afflictions of Nurgle, Typhus was the embodiment of terror, a cursed thing too terrible to name. His ship, the Terminus Est, and its supporting plague fleet were one of the largest Chaos battle groups remaining active throughout the war and allowed Typhus to terrorise warzone after warzone. It was on Ulthor in the Agripinaa System, that Typhus unleashed his greatest sorceries, exhibiting the favour in which he is held by Nurgle. The once verdant Agri-World was twisted and corrupted. The taint of the Herald devolved whatever life it found, rendering it down into a formless sea of putrescence trial wailed in unending torment. Seeing his handiwork Typhus took the nascent daemonworld for his own; a stronghold beyond the Gate from which he could bring terror to the Imperium at his leisure. Cypher The mysterious leader of me Fallen. Cypher has been hunted by the Dark Angels and their Successor Chapters for ten thousand years. Though it is not known whether Cypher was encountered directly during the war, unconfirmed reports suggest trial the chapter's Interrogator-Chaplains captured as many as eight Fallen during the battles around the Caliban system, more than have been captured in such a short period in many thousands of years. Further reports link Cypher to the mysterious Voice Of the Emperor, who, it is rumoured, was captured by the Dark Angels during the fighting, but whose cell was found empty upon the prison ships' return to the Tower of Angels. Azrael Azrael, the Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels was a notable absentee at the council of Chapter Masters met elected Grimnar their head. Azrael led the Dark Angels, and the so-called Unforgiven Chapters, according to his own inscrutable strategy. The only time he is known to have stood beside other Imperial forces was when he led a company of Dark Angels upon Xersia, where he joined with Lord Castellan Creed and his Cadian 8th to repel a force of Black Legionnaires from the world's High Basilica. Though the Despoiler succeeded in his sacrilegious mission to desecrate the high altar as part of some dedication to the Ruinous Powers that would guarantee the success of the Thirteenth Black Crusade. Azrael was instrumental in repelling the invaders, for a time at least. Eldrad Ulthran The Farseer Eldrad Ulthran, most gifted Eldar prophet found that the twisting forests of possibilities through which he walked at will were denied to him, blinding his exceptional scrying abilities. His one certainty was that darkness stood ready to engulf him and possibly even his homeworld. At the formation of the Ulthwé Strike Forces, Eldrad divided many parts of his consciousness into shimmering Waystones and, after many weeks of guiding his troops through the Webway, he was exhausted and spent when he was last seen by the Eldar of Ulthwé. He appointed a controversial member of the Seer Council as his successor before departing with his Warlock bodyguard on a desperate last quest, to rescue the soul of one of the legendary Talismans of Vaul before it turned the surface of Cadia into a boiling, incandescent sea. Sources *''Battlefleet Gothic: "The Galaxy"'' *''Battlefleet Gothic Magazine'' 15, "Chaos Space Marine Fleets," pp. 4-8 *''Battlefleet Gothic Magazine'' 16, "The Growing Storm!: Eye of Terror Campaign," "The War of Belis Corona," pp. 2-9, 18-32 *''Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook'' (Blue Book), pp. 92-103 *''Codex: Chaos Space Marines'' (4th Edition), pp. 24, 46 *''Codex: Chaos Space Marines'' (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex) *''Codex: Chaos Space Marines'' (3rd Edition, 1st Codex) *''Codex: Eye of Terror'' (3rd Edition) *''Black Legion: A Codex Chaos Space Marines Supplement'' (Digital Edition), pg. 41 *''The Thirteenth Black Crusade'' (Background Book) by Andy Hoare (list of Imperial Guard regiments on pp. 90-91) *''Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook'' (6th Edition), pp. 177, 230-231 *''Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook'' (5th Edition), pg. 148 *''Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook'' (4th Edition), pg.136 *''White Dwarf'' 295 (UK), "Chapter Approved: Extremis Diabolus" *''White Dwarf'' 286 (UK), "The Eye of the Storm: Space Marine Chapters fighting in the Eye of Terror" *''White Dwarf'' 284 (UK), "Humanity's Shield: Chapters involved in the defence of Cadia" *''White Dwarf'' 281 (US), "Codex Eye of Terror: The 13th Black Crusade," "Mark of the Wulfen," "The Gathering Forces: The Forces in the Eye of Terror," "Protectors of Mankind" *''White Dwarf'' 246 (US), "The Powers That Be," (by Jonathan Green) *''Cain's Last Stand'' (Novel) by Sandy Mitchell *[http://web.archive.org/web/20040402162920/http://www.eyeofterror.com/uk/welcome.html Eye of Terror Worldwide Campaign] Category:E Category:Games Workshop